Child Development Center looks toward 25th year of accreditation

WATERBURY, Conn. (March 11, 2008) – The Naugatuck Valley Community College Child Development Center (CDC) has received accreditation, yet again, from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).  The accreditation asserts the college’s program as a high-quality learning center and renews its eligibility for the annual State of Connecticut School Readiness Grant.

NAEYC accreditation has become the standard for early childhood programs since its inception in 1985.  The process requires such programs to undergo self-study and provide evidence of fundamental licensing, staffing, health and safety requirements prior to applying.  Programs are also required to submit annual reports and audits as well as receive formal and informal observations by NAEYC assessors - formerly volunteer “validators” - to ensure compliance with the program’s 10 standards for high-quality care.  Once granted, the accreditation is valid for five years (http://www.naeyc.org).

The CDC was one of the first programs in Connecticut to become accredited in 1987 and has maintained continuous accreditation since. A part of the center is funded through the Waterbury Community Partnership for School Readiness, which works with the CDC to continuously improve communication and collaborative planning, awareness, parent involvement and data collection throughout the City’s education system. 

The CDC is the only community college lab school in the state to incorporate the Reggio Emilia approach, a highly dynamic Italian school of thought that emphasizes a stimulating environment with an emphasis on art and exploration.  Through a variety of materials, children are encouraged to develop creativity, strong problem solving abilities and a sense of inquiry as well as make predictions, test theories and discover learning.  Two teachers are assigned to each class to ensure adequate teacher-student interaction and to document class time through writing, audio and video tape.

Approximately 60 children, aged 18 months to 6 years, attend the Child Development Center as part of its toddler, pre-school, kindergarten and school readiness programs.  The center is an academic lab through which students in the Early Childhood program observe, participate and student teach.  The training ground also serves as a resource for college students in Child Development, Psychology, English and Nursing. 

For more information visit www.nvcc.commnet.edu/resources/child_dev.shtml or call (203)596-8604.